Minnesota Swarm Lock Up Three 1st Round Picks

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The National Lacrosse League's (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm today announced that the team has signed three
first-round picks in defenseman Jason Noble (No. 2 overall, Cornell
University), transition player Cam Flint (No. 4 overall, Denver
University) and forward Scott Jones (No. 7 overall, UMBC). Both
Noble and Flint agreed to two-year deals, while Jones signed a
one-year agreement. Minnesota also came to terms with one of its
third-round selections, signing forward Zach Palmer (No. 23
overall, Johns Hopkins) to a one-year deal.

Noble, 22, earned the reputation as one of the NCAA's top
defensive players and was a first team All-America honoree with
Cornell University in 2013. Noble, who is 5-10 and 170 pounds,
finished his career as a three-time All-America and All Ivy League
selection. The Orangeville, Ontario native was also a first team
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner during his senior season as
Cornell's team captain. Noble won three Minto Cups with the
Orangeville Northmen during his junior lacrosse career.

"Having Jason in our lineup just adds to the dynamic that we've
tried to create here in the last three years, as he is an athletic
young guy that can play the defensive end of the turf as well as
anybody," Swarm associate general manager and head coach Joe
Sullivan said. "Jason is going to have an immediate impact on our
system, and he also has the ability to be on our draw team and
transition the ball with efficiency."

Flint, 23, notched 37 goals and was a first team All-America
honoree during his senior season with Denver University in 2013.
Flint, who is 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, spent the 2013 summer
season playing for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse
(MLL). In his four-year career at Denver, Flint was a three-time
All-America and All ECAC selection.

"Cam also adds to what we are trying to grow and improve upon,
which is our speed, athleticism and the ability to play both ends
of the turf," Sullivan said. "To have Cam on the floor allows us to
have that quickness to take off and do what we need to do on the
offensive end. On the other side of it, I know that he is going to
respect the defensive aspect of playing an offensive role and will
be able to cover the top of the floor and get back and play a stand
up style of defense."

Jones, 24, played collegiately at the University of
Maryland-Baltimore County and led his squad in scoring during his
final three seasons of play, including back-to-back 35-plus goal
seasons from 2012-13. The British Columbia native, who stands tall
at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, has spent the past three summers playing
Sr. A ball with the Burnaby Lakers of the WLA. Jones was a two-time
captain with UMBC and his older brother is Jeff Ratcliffe, a former
NLL player for the Philadelphia Wings and New York Titans.

"What I'd like to see Scott understand from the get-go is that
we need him to be an impact player," Sullivan said. "He has the
ability and size to do that, and as long as he works as hard as he
can, I believe he's going to be a guy that sets the tone
offensively and takes pressure off other players."

Palmer, 22, is a left-handed forward from Johns Hopkins
University, who totaled 71 goals and 140 points during his
four-year career from 2010-13. In 2012, Palmer led the team in
points (53) and assists (26), and finished second in goals (27).
The 5-foot-7, 175-pound native of Oshawa, Ontario played his junior
ball with the Whitby Warriors and won a Minto Cup in 2011.

"Zach has the potential to be an electric player, as he has a
great outside shot, and can finish inside as well," Sullivan said.
"If Zach works hard enough to get in the lineup, I believe he can
have an immediate impact."

All contracts are currently pending league approval.

In 2014, the Swarm will be celebrating their 10th season of
professional box lacrosse in the NLL and will kickoff the regular
season on the road against the defending NLL champion Rochester
Knighthawks at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Minnesota will make its home debut at The Hive celebrating
Native American Heritage Day on Sunday, Jan. 19 during a 2 p.m.
matchup against the Philadelphia Wings at Xcel Energy Center.